This fall, the Maine Humanities Council is presenting a free, two-part public forum on fear, civil liberties, and the rule of law in the United States. The entire program will take place in both Portland and Bangor:

Portland Part 1 October 17, 2008
4:30 - 7:30pm
Part 2 November 13, 2008
6:00 - 8:00pm
Bangor Part 1 October 18, 2008
9:00am - 12:00noon
Part 2 November 13, 2008
6:00 - 8:00pm

This project has received support from the We the People initiative of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

FEAR, CIVIL LIBERTIES, AND THE RULE OF LAW

 

The question of civil liberties is a heated one in the U.S. today, so the Council is offering the opportunity for thoughtful public discussion of the issue.

Part 1 of this two-part program, “Exploring the Context, Defining the Issues,” will take place on October 17 and 18, in Portland and Bangor respectively. Joel Rosenthal, President of the Carnegie Council for Ethics in International Affairs, and member of the Maine Humanities Council board, will set the broad historical context, taking into account major events in U.S. history such as the Civil War, the post-WWI Palmer Raids, and McCarthyism.

Jeff McCausland, U.S. Army Colonel (Retired) and Carnegie Council Senior Fellow, will focus on the current debate over issues like detainee policies, the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA), and the military tribunals in Guantanamo Bay.

Following these presentations, there will be a panel discussion moderated by Mr. Rosenthal. Panelists Shenna Bellows, Executive Director of the Maine Civil Liberties Union; Paula Silsby, the U.S. Attorney for Maine; and Steve Podgajny, Executive Director of the Portland Public Library (in Portland) and Barbara McDade, Executive Director of the Bangor Public Library (in Bangor) will explore what the current situation means for Americans.

Rosenthal is a frequent lecturer and writer on ethics, U.S. foreign policy, and international relations. Under his direction, the Carnegie Council sponsors educational programs for worldwide audiences. He is editor-in-chief of the journal Ethics & International Affairs, and author of Righteous Realists, Ethics and the Future of Conflict (with Albert C. Pierce and Anthony Lang), and “New Rules for War?” in the Naval War College Review (2004), among other works.

McCausland graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1972 and was commissioned in field artillery. He completed his active duty service in 2002, ending his career as Dean of Academics, U.S. Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania. During his military career, McCausland served in a variety of command and staff positions both in the United States and Europe, including as Director for Defense Policy and Arms Control on the National Security Council Staff during the Kosovo crisis. He has published and lectured broadly on military affairs, European security issues, the Gulf War, and leadership throughout the United States and abroad.

Part 2, “The View Through the Lens of Literature,” will follow on November 13, 2008, at both the Portland and Bangor public libraries. Scholar-facilitated discussions of Arthur Miller’s The Crucible will illuminate topics raised in Part 1 of the program, although attendance at Part 1 is not required for participation in the discussion.

Copies of The Crucible will be provided.